Wire-stretcher



(N0 Model.)

SJW. HORST. 'WIRE STRETGHER- Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

y y y W UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. HORST, OF HUMMELSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,568, dated April 4,1893.

Application led February 18, 1893. Serial No. 462,870. .(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. HORST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hummelstown, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and use-` ful Wire-Stretcher, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire stretchers.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the construction ofwire stretchers, and to provide a simple and inexpensive one capable ofmaintaining the wires of a fence at the desired tension, and ofpermitting the necessary contraction and expansion to prevent the wiresbreaking.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure l is a perspective view of a fence provided withawire stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view of the wire stretcher. Fig..3 is a horizontalsectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a fence having aseries of horizontal wires 2, connected bystays 3 and extending through perforations 4 of a corner post 5 andconnected to a series of turning pins 6 of a wire stretcher. The turningpins are arranged in horizontal bearing slots 7 of a semi-cylindricalstretcher bar 8; and interposed between the latter and the fence post 5are spiral springs 9, which are arranged on the fence wires 2 and bearagainst the fence post 5 and plates 10, extending across the open sideof the semi-cylindrical stretcher bar and bearing against the edgesthereof. The vplates are provided with perforations to receive theadjacent fence wires; and the spiral springs are adapted to permit thenecessary contraction and expansion for the fence wires to prevent theirbreaking in winter and to take up any slack incident to the expansion insummer. Each turning pin is provided with perforations ll and 12, andhas one end squared to receive a wrench or other tool for tightening thewires. The perforation ll enables the fence wire to be attached to theturning pin, andthe other perforation 12 receives a locking pin or key13, which prevents its unwinding,

It will be seen that the wire stretcher is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that itwill enable fence wires to bemaintained at the desired tension, and that it will permit the necessarycontraction and expansion to take'up the slack in summer and preventbreakage in winter.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of constructionmaybe resorted to without departing from the principle or sacricing anyof the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isl. In a wire stretcher, the combination with a fence postand fence Wires,of asemi-cylindrical stretcher bar provided in itsconvex face with transverse bearing slots, turning pins arranged in theslots and receiving the fence wires, and springs interposed between thestretcher bar and the fence post, substantially as described.

2. In a wire stretcher, the combination with a fence post and wires, ofa semi-cylindrical stretcher bar provided in its convex face withtransverse bearing slots, turning pins arranged in the transverse slotsand receiving the wirel and provided with locking keys, plates arrangedacross the open face of the stretcher bar and resting on thelongitudinal edges thereof and having perforations receiving Wires, andspiral springs interposed between the plates and lthe fence post,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL W. HORST.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. MELICK, H. F. HOLLER.

